Boil 3 3/4 cups of the wine in a large casserole until reduced to 5 tablespoons.
Pour in the remaining wine and add the shallots, herbs, lemon rind and seasoning.
Add the chicken breasts, skin side down.
Bring just to boiling point, then cover tightly and transfer to a preheated 325° oven.
Cook for 45-50 minutes, turning the chicken over after 20 minutes and then again after a further 20 minutes.
Leave the chicken to cool in the liquid.
Drain the chicken, reserving the liquid.
Discard the skin, and remove the breasts from the bones in one piece.
Remove any fat from the surface of the liquid.
Return the; breasts to the liquid, cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, the liquid should have jelled slightly.
Remove any remaining fat from the surface.
Lift out the chicken breasts and set aside.
Warm the liquid slightly, then pour it through a sieve lined with muslin or cheese cloth.
Reserve about f cup of the liquid and put the remainder in a saucepan.
Add the sugar.
Heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, then add the cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and add about one-third of the apricots.
They should be covered by the liquid.
Poach the fruit for about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
Poach the remaining apricots in the same way and add to the bowl.
Pour the liquid over the apricots and leave to cool, moving the apricots around from time to time, if necessary, so that they are equally soaked.
Cover and chill.
Carve the chicken breasts into thin slices.
Arrange the slices in fan shapes on one or two large, cold platters.
Brush the slices lightly with the reserved liquid.
Remove the apricots from their liquid using a slotted spoon and arrange them on and around the chicken, cutting some of the apricot halves in half again.
Garnish the platter with sprigs of chervil.